Am'wr'iP?8rm'  )  Advances  in  Pharmacy.  429 
repair  had  begun  flavine  acted  injuriously,  mainly  by  producing  an 
unhealthy  granulating  surface.  While  these  conclusions  do  not 
prove  that  flavine  is  without  powerful  germicidal  action  in  some 
experimental  conditions,  the  investigator  believes  they  show  that 
its  clinical  use  is  not  without  untoward  results.  His  observations 
have  led  him  to  abandon  the  use  of  flavine  in  his  work  altogether. 
Results  were  never  good.  (W.  Pearson,  Lancet,  London,  p.  370, 
March  9,  1918.) 
Utilization  of  the  Laboratories  of  Our  Universities. — It 
appears  that  the  much  needed  synthetic  chemicals,  especially  those 
that  have  proved  their  value,  and  which  the  teaching  and  research 
institutions  in  this  country  must  certainly  have  if  their  work  is  to  go 
on,  are  now  being  manufactured  and  supplied  by  the  chemical  labo- 
ratory of  the  University  of  Illinois.  Nearly  a  dozen  chemicals  for 
which  we  had  formerly  to  depend  on  foreign  manufacturers  for 
supplies  were  made  in  amounts  the  value  of  which  is  estimated  to 
be  $5,000  and  were  distributed  among  more  than  thirty  laboratories 
and  supply  houses.  We  hear  that  the  work  of  making  these  chemi- 
cals has  since  expanded  and  elaborated  to  such  an  extent  that  there 
are  now  available  nearly  120  different  products.  To  date  $9,000 
worth  of  these  have  been  distributed  outside  the  laboratory  in 
amounts  ranging  from  a  few  grams  up  to  pounds. 
These  products  have  each  been  thoroughly  tested  in  comparison 
with  a  well-known  standard  product,  and  have  absolutely  conformed 
to  every  requirement,  and  in  many  instances  they  have  been  found 
to  be  much  better  than  the  product  that  originally  came  from  abroad. 
It  is  said  that  the  synthesized  chemicals  turned  out  by  this  labora- 
tory numbered  among  them  dimethyl  glyoxime,  nitroso  beta  naph- 
thol,  cupferron,  nitron  and  ninhydrin,  all  of  some  use  in  laboratory 
research  work,  and  many  others.  It  would  be  interesting  to  know 
what  the  "  many  others  "  might  be. 
Skilled  Adulteration. — The  Food  and  Drug  Department  of 
Kentucky  reports  that  the  analysis  of  foods  and  drugs  is  becoming 
increasingly  difficult  all  the  time  because  of  the  skillful  forms  of 
adulteration  practiced  by  the  manufacturers  of  such  commodities. 
It  appears  that  they  employ  experts  who  have  learned  to  sophisti- 
cate in  the  most  scientific  manner;  indeed,  the  adulteration  is  often 
so  cleverly  accomplished  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  for  the  analyst 
to  detect  the  fraud  with  any  degree  of  certainty.    It  is  often  neces- 
